Franklin Pest Solutions encourages public awareness of household pests in April
It’s National Pest Management Month!
This April, Franklin Pest Solutions is proud to celebrate National Pest Management Month, which is formally recognized each year by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). The observance acknowledges the pest management industry’s commitment to the protection of public health and property from common household pests such as rodents, ants, termites, bed bugs and cockroaches. 
Preventative Pest Control
During National Pest Management Month, Franklin Pest Solutions encourages public awareness of pests and reminds homeowners to pest-proof the home this spring. There are many simple things you can do to stop pests from becoming a problem in the first place. Do it yourself pest control goes far beyond buying a kill-all pesticide product from your local hardware store. It requires a knowledge about the pests you’re dealing with, finding the source or origination of the problems, and looking to permanent structural solutions to prevent issues in the future. This is how the pros at Franklin tackle pest problems. It’s about solving the problem at the root source, not just treating the symptoms. 
“As the weather continues to warm, pests will begin to emerge from their overwintering sites and look for food indoors. To prevent an infestation, homeowners should take some time to pest-proof their home in the coming weeks,” said David Sloop, Franklin’s Michigan City Branch Manager. “From sealing openings and removing debris around the foundation of the home to eliminating sources of moisture indoors, a few simple home maintenance projects can keep pests from causing problems this spring.”
Overwintering Pests
Each Spring, critters begin crawling out of the woodwork and it’s sometimes shocking to think about where they’re coming from. Why all of a sudden are you seeing all kinds of bugs when you didn’t have this kind of problem before the winter? The fact of the matter is, you DID have them all winter long and just didn’t know it. As temperatures drop in Autumn every year, bugs and animals (just like humans) spend less time outside in the elements and more time seeking warmth within wall voids, cracks and crevices. Here are some examples of pests that will squeeze into these warmer places and survive in a state of dormancy through the colder months.
Boxelder Bugs
We have a special treatment specifically for boxelder bugs. Request a free quote for one now.
Wasps
Ants
Rodents
All of the pests above and many others are attracted to a certain set of conditions, which would make them choose your house over others. Some things to think about if you have had consistent problems with one or more of the above pests are:
- Are there any water leaks on your property?
- Do you have tree branches touching your roof?
- Do you leave pet dishes out with food or water in them?
- Are there any gaps around your windows or doors that allow airflow to pass through?
- Is there any part of the structure of the house that is rotting?
- Does your landscaping touch the sides of the house?
- Is your mulch raked back two inches from your house structure?
NPMA experts recommend the following tips to add to the spring cleaning check list:
- Repair fascia and rotted roof shingles.
- Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around the foundation and windows.
- Keep tree branches and shrubbery well trimmed and away from the house.
- Store fire wood at least 20 feet away from the house and five inches off the ground.
- Eliminate sources of standing water around the house, including birdbaths and in clogged gutters.
- Keep basements, attics, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.
- Store garbage in sealed containers and dispose of it regularly.’
- Avoid leaving pet’s food dishes out for long periods of time.
“Taking preventative measures is the best defense against pests, but occasionally an unwanted critter can sneak by unnoticed,” added Sloop. “If an infestation is suspected, contact a licensed pest professional to treat the problem.”
Healthy Home Maintenance
When preventative pest control and do it yourself pest control just aren’t cutting it, maybe it’s time to consider seeking the help of a professional. After all, we’ve gone through countless hours of specialized training to handle these types of things! You wouldn’t try to build a house without special house building education skills, now would you?? Franklin Pest Solutions has designed a three-tier program to suit your unique pest needs. It’s called the Healthy Home Maintenance Program and the level of protection you want is all up to you. Being under the care of a Franklin pro means you get protection all year long. Satisfaction GUARANTEED. If pest activity happens in between your 4 services each year, we come back out to retreat for free for those pests that are covered. Here’s the breakdown:
Healthy Home Maintenance Basic
- Ants
- Centipedes
- Cockroaches
- Earwigs
- Millipedes
- Pill bugs
- Silverfish
- Spiders
- Other common crawling insects
Healthy Home Maintenance Gold
- All pests covered by the Basic plan plus:
- Rodent control
Healthy Home Maintenance Platinum
- All pests covered by the Basic and Gold plans plus:
- Asian beetles
- Boxelder bugs
- Wasps
- Hornets
- Other flying and stinging insects
Safety First!
Your safety comes first when we’re dealing with any type of pest related issues. Protecting your home, your CASTLE and your family is what Franklin Pest Solutions is all about. There are so many health risks related to pests. The more commonly known ones are asthma (caused by roaches), West Nile Virus (spread by mosquitoes), and stinging insect allergies and anaphylaxis. You may not even be aware of some of the others. We’re here to protect you! 
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